Chapter 13 Problems, Big and Small

It was with surprise that Harry got up the next day because he realised that he had nothing to do. That night he was going back to the old Riddle house but there was nothing he had planned for the day and nothing he had to do. He wondered rather aimlessly around his apartment before his eyes came to rest on his firebolt, laying in the corner. Although he had a much newer and faster broom for playing quidditch he had never gotten rid of the firebolt, the first and only present Sirius had given him. Even now it filled him with sadness when he saw the broom and thought about Sirius. Even though he had only known Sirius for a short time he had been so happy to know that somebody cared for him and that he would have a real home. That's why he had been so sad and angry when that was all taken away from him. 

Impulsively Harry decided to go flying on the old broom. It had been a while since he'd flown on any broom, not since his last game of Quidditch. He missed the fast-paced action of Quidditch and but most of all he had missed flying. So with a tap to his head and a quick Disillusionment Charm Harry took on the appearance of the area surrounding him. After grabbing his broom he opened the window of his 10th floor apartment and jumped on his broom and flew off. Flying always gave him the most amazing feeling and for the first time in many weeks Harry felt truly free. He did many rolls and tumbles and flew around and then started a dive as he was picking up a lot of speed he faintly heard a hissing. In surprise Harry pulled out of the dive and looked for the source of the hissing. A small head pocked out of the pocket of his shirt and he realised that Shonda must have still been there a sleep.

'What are you doing?' She hissed in fear.

'I'm sorry, I forgot you were still in my pocket,' Harry said guiltily, 'I'm flying.'

'Flying! Please take me down Harry. I really, really don't like heights!' Harry quickly flew the small snake back to his apartment, apologising all the way. He put her down in the house and she slithered off to find somewhere warm to sleep while Harry went flying again.

The hours dragged past and Harry felt himself just floating high above London. It really did look very pretty from above and so peaceful. Harry was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the noise of a muggle aeroplane until it was almost upon him. With surprise Harry turned around only to be hit by a huge force of wind. The plane narrowly missed him but the he was tossed around. Harry tried to take control of his broom but the wind was too strong and he felt himself plummeting towards the ground. The ground rushed towards him but just meters above the ground he managed to jump on his broom and started to pull out of the dive but he was too late. Harry hit the ground with a thud and lay there for a long time. Pulling up his broom had managed to save him from any really serious injuries but he still hurt like hell. After a long while he managed to get up and slowly make his way back home. All Harry wanted to do was collapse on his bed and try to sleep off the pounding headache but he realised with a sigh that he had to meet Voldemort.

Harry managed to patch himself up a bit and was feeling better thanks to some pain killing potions that he always kept in stock when by the time he had to leave. Harry went in search of Shonda and finally found her curled up in the corner of a cupboard.

'I am leaving now. Do you want come?' He asked gently. Shonda didn't reply even though Harry knew she was awake. He guessed she was probably still angry about the flying incident and decided to leave her.

'I'll see you later then,' Harry called.

'It's probably safer anyway,' he muttered as he left.

As Harry walked past the Death Eaters guarding the door they glared at him but didn't make a move to speak to him or to attack him. Harry was glad because with the pounding in his head, which had slightly improved but still hurt, he didn't feel like a confrontation. Voldemort didn't waste time with niceties when Harry came in but jumped straight into the purpose of their meeting.

'I want to make an attack. So grand in scale that it will shake the wizarding world of England at their heart. I want to attack the Ministry of Magic.' Voldemort told Harry. Although he already knew this Harry pretended to be surprised.

'Do you really think we can pull that off? Do we even have the resources?' Harry asked.

'Yes. They will not be expecting it. They will not think we would do something so bold.'

'The element of surprise,' Harry said, 'we would have to have a number of groups attacking simultaneously to maximise our advantage and to strike them while they are confused.'

'Yes.' Voldemort agreed, pleased at how well Potter was accepting the idea and improving it. 'You and I will lead the main two groups and Malfoy, Lestrange and Macnair can lead the others'.

'Do we have enough numbers to have more groups?' Harry asked, 'I think we need to attack from more angles. Do you have others who can lead?' Voldemort thought about that for a moment before replying,

'I suppose Crouch, Nott and Avery could lead as well'. The ideas came and together they organised the plan of attack to the smallest details so each knew exactly what would happen.

'You do know why we must do this don't you Potter?'

'To strike fear in their hearts and make them shake at the very thought of us.' Harry replied, quoting exactly a thought that had been circling round Voldemort's head for a number of days.

'Yes, exactly.' Voldemort said, looking at Harry strangely because he had been thinking exactly the same thing and wondering if it was just coincidence. As they worked together and became closer the bonds between them grew stronger. Soon they would be strong enough.

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and all the others. I am sorry this chapter has been so long in coming; hopefully the next one will be a lot quicker. I know this chapter was slow but the action will start in the next chapter.r